Destin Florida isn’t just a vacation spot for us. It is a place where we have spent Christmas Day, spring breaks, 4th of July, our “babymoon” and our first vacation with each of our boys. We have been vacationing in Destin since we were single (20 yrs ago) and go every few years. My parents loved it so much they owned a condo there at one point, but have sold it! We have done just about everything there is to do there. We have some strong opinions of what is worth your time. This is not an itinerary of one specific trip, but a compilation of the best of what to do/not do after our countless trips. I am also presenting a realistic view of what you may experience: the good, the bad and the ugly!
Destin – The Good
The white sand beaches and beautiful water between Pensacola and Panama City (with Destin right in the middle) is dubbed Emerald Coast. In the US, we have been to beaches on the Atlantic side (Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, St. Simon, etc.), the Pacific side (San Diego, Santa Cruz, etc.) and other areas of the Gulf (Sanibel, Corpus Christi, Padre, etc.). In our experience, the white sand beaches along the Emerald Coast are the best in mainland United States. The water is clean and clear with a beautiful emerald hue. The waves are not too big and the water is warm, perfect for families to enjoy.
Destin is family friendly with a multitude of activities to keep you entertained. The activities and family friendly nature of Destin are what set it apart from other locations on the Emerald Coast. Even during spring break, I have never been concerned about being in Destin with my kids or parents.
When to Go
The panhandle of Florida does not have beach weather year-round. Destin is approximately the same latitude (slightly further North) as Houston, TX. Check out average temperatures here. According to US Travel News, April/May is the best time for pleasant temperatures and lower crowds. Prices go up in the summer as does the heat.
I don’t mind heat and I love warm water; my favorite time to visit is late summer/early fall. August water temperatures average 85 degrees which I love; however, late summer/early fall is also hurricane season. Traveling during this time puts you at a higher risk of rain and storms.
If you are not interested in beach activities, the winter can be quite pleasant. We went for Christmas one year and it was perfect jeans and sweatshirt weather. Winter would be great if you are going to golf, shop, play tennis/pickleball or just walk along the beach. It is way too cold for anything water related.
Getting There
Destin is very popular in the southern states because of proximity. A lot of people from Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana vacation there as it is only a few hours drive. Depending on where you are coming from, driving may be an option to save cost. With limited vacation time and a 15-hour drive from Kansas City, I would rather fly! Destin-Fort Walton Beach has a small commercial airport (VPS). We typically fly into Pensacola and drive the hour to Destin. Depending on where along the beach you are staying (and traffic), Panama City is an option. Also about an hour away from Destin.
Where to Stay
On the Beach!
Ok, I am biased here, but Destin is a beach destination and for me it is all about being on the beach. Not across the street, not a ferry boat ride away, not a short drive/walk away, but on the beach! Now I realize this comes with a price tag.
If you are coming to Destin to fish, golf, dive, etc. it may not be worth the extra cost to you. For me, it is worth it. I love waking up and having my cup of coffee on the balcony and seeing dolphins and rays swim by (we see them almost every trip). The kids love watching the fishing boats and parasailers (we always have a good pair of binoculars with us) or going on an early morning walk on the beach to look for shells. I love that we can have part of our family at the beach and go back and forth to the condo as needed for food, supplies, naps, whatever.
Location, Location, Location
The first place we stayed when we went was Crystal Sands. It was an older place, located halfway between the outlet mall and the harbor. It wasn’t a bad location if you want to split your time between harbor activities and shopping.
Our second trip we stayed in a similar location and rented a big house with a large group. It was nice but didn’t have all the amenities other places have (pool, tennis courts, beach set up, etc.).
The third time we went we stayed on Holiday Isle and we have stayed there ever since. Holiday Isle is a little strip that has the beach on one side and the harbor on the other. For me, I don’t go on a beach vacation to go shopping; I can do that at home. I want to be close to the activities I want to do. Holiday Isle is a perfect location to minimize driving and fighting traffic to do what we want to do.
Consider all of those Beach Chairs!
Regardless of where you decide to stay, if you are beach front, make sure you ask about beach set up. The resorts have private beaches and offer a beach service (chair/umbrella set up) for a fee. If you spend the money to stay beach front, it is highly disappointing to get hit with extra cost. If you have your own chairs, you might be asked to set up behind the paying customers. The big places with minimal beachfront access have rows after row of beach chairs.
There are a lot of choices of where to stay in Destin, so ask for free beach set up. It is typically up to individual owners so ask before you rent! Look at pictures ahead of time and if you see ones like these in front of Pelican Resort. Don’t book here unless you are ok with rows and rows of chairs.
Destin – The Bad
As much as I love Destin, it is not all sunshine and rainbows! I want you to have an honest picture of what to expect.
The secret is out about what a great vacation spot this is. Destin traffic can get quite congested especially in the peak of the summer. If you are staying east of Destin in the Miramar Beach or Sandestin area, it may take you up to an hour to get to the Destin Harbor in July. A lot of the “must do” activities are in the harbor area. It may not be worth fighting the traffic to go more than once or twice if you are staying very far away. Think about what activities you will want to do and pick your lodging accordingly.
Things to Do
Must Do List
Fishing
Destin isn’t called the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” for nothing. If you have any interest in deep sea fishing this is the place to do it. There are two main options: party boat or private charter.
Party Boats
For most people, party boat is the way to go. Party boat just means you are grouped with other people. It is affordable, easier to schedule and you are on a bigger vessel that is less likely to cause sea sickness. You don’t get any say in what type of fish you are going for and it is going to be smaller fish, usually snapper and grouper, depending on the season. They have all the gear and the deckhands help with everything. My kind of fishing! I recommend American Spirit as they have reduced pricing for kids and is family friendly. Our kids started fishing on party boats in Destin when they were about 6 or 7 and love it. The party boats will all claim to be family friendly, but some are classier (relatively speaking) than others.
Private Charters
If you are serious about fishing, want to go for bigger fish and can hold your cookies, you might consider a private charter. We did this . . . once. We chartered a small boat for six of us. My sister and I and four guys including a friend, husband, my stepdad and stepbrother. We weren’t even done catching bait before my stepdad was leaning over the side of the boat sick. One by one the guys dropped until it was just my sister and me left standing. The captain and the deckhand were quite entertained as we were catching fish left and right. Normally a private charter would have had a bigger haul, but all the fish pictured were pretty much caught by just the two of us on a half a day trip cut short!
I would like to do a charter boat again to go for some bigger fish. My husband has figured out if he gets a prescription patch from his doctor to put behind his ear starting 24 hours ahead of setting sail, he doesn’t get sick.
No matter how you catch your fish, go early in the week because you will come away with fresh fish to cook yourself or take to one of the local restaurants to cook for you. Several of the local restaurants provide “hook and cook” service like AJ’s and Brotula’s that will take you and your fish in right off the boat! They cook up your fish with all the sides to enjoy.
Go To Fishing Docks
Even if you don’t go fishing, at least go walk along the fishing docks when the boats come in. The Harbor Walk area is touristy, but if you start at AJs and keep walking east (to the less touristy side of the marina) you will see the full array of the Destin Fishing Fleet. We like to eat at Harbor Docks which is a great viewing area for seeing boats come in. Each charter has a little different timing, but most come in between 3-5 pm. If you are lucky you will catch a charter coming back from a multi-day trip and be amazed at their catch. We even saw one come in with a shark once.
Excuse the poor photo quality, but this is the shark we saw at the fishing docks. 
We snapped this pic from our dinner table at Harbor Docks. You can see the large fish that came in from a longer charter.
Jet Ski Tour in Bay
Jet ski tour around the bay. Do not rent jet skis from the Destin harbor; drive a little further over the bridge to Okaloosa Island to get much better pricing on pontoons, jet skis, mini golf and just about anything. We went on a two-hour morning jet ski tour with Paradise Jet Ski Rentals around the bay. We got to see some amazing houses that you can never see from land and got to run around with dolphins as they played in the water!
If you are further east there may be jet ski rentals on the beach, but this is not worth it. Driving a jet ski around in the open ocean is rough and not nearly as fun as exploring the bay. Kids must be 16 to drive their own but can ride as a passenger if they are younger. My boys are counting down the days until they turn 16!
Rent a Pontoon and go to Crab Island
Rent a Pontoon Boat and go to Crab Island. We are lake people and initially renting a pontoon boat didn’t seem like it would be that much fun, but it was! This has been one of our favorite things to do in Destin. When our boys were little, we rented a pontoon, put a baby pool on it and went over to Crab Island where we could swim and play around. It is truly a unique experience to do at least once. Again, drive across to Okaloosa Island to better pricing than you will get in the harbor.
Rented pontoon headed to Crab Island 
Sometimes the water is calm enough to snorkel at the beach.
Pirate Boat Ride
Pirate boat – if you have little kids (10 and under) this is a must do activity. My boys have outgrown it at this point, but they do a great job, and it is a fun experience for the little ones.
Snorkel the Destin Jetties
Destin is not a big scuba diving/snorkeling destination, but if you want to snorkel you can skip the expensive commercial snorkeling trips and go yourself. The snorkeling boats all go to the public beach here: https://goo.gl/maps/5TGxkH5A4YjQChpZ8. Take your own snorkel gear ($20 at Wal-Mart) and a sandwich baggie of frozen peas to attract the fish. You just saved yourself a bunch of money on a mediocre snorkeling trip! Go when the tide is coming in, the current is strong at the edge of the jetties and better to be swept into the bay than out to sea! There is paid parking on the street at the public beach entrance. Note, this is the same public beach that The Emerald Grande ferries their guest to for their beach access.
Maybe Do List
Scuba Diving
Destin is known as a fishing and beach destination, not a diving destination. I personally skip the diving in Destin. If you have limited time and money, go fishing and go to the beach. If you are from Kansas, a certified diver and you only get to the coast once a year (I am describing myself) then get out there and scuba dive!
The diving here will not rival the Caribbean, but it is still a chance to dive and keep up your skills. They are constantly working to expand the artificial reef to provide more interesting dive sites. Unfortunately, many of the dive sites in Destin are at 80-90 ft, so if you only have your open water certification (like me) vs. your advanced certification you will be limited on where you can go. We have used a few dive shops in the area, but really enjoyed our experience with Scuba Tech.
Parasailing
If you have never parasailed and want a great view of Destin (and a little thrill) then parasailing is for you. I went parasailing with my two boys (my husband is afraid of heights) with XtremeH2O on the bay side and had a great experience. Again, I highly recommend doing this on the bay side for diversity in scenery and smoother boating. You are up high enough you see all the way down the beach plus get up close views of Crab Island. Parasailing certainly isn’t unique to Destin, which is why it is only on the maybe list, but I debated it being a must do activity!
Harbor Walk Village
Harbor Walk Village is the name of the area in front of the Emerald Grande Hotel and Resort where you first cross the Destin Bridge coming in from the west on Hwy 98. There are shops, restaurants, frozen drinks, caricatures, henna tattoos, music, hair braiding, train ride, balloon artists, zip lining and all the touristy stuff you can imagine. It is a lively environment that is fun to see and walk around. You can combine a visit with going to the fishing docks or out to dinner.
I would not recommend buying a bunch of souvenirs here as there are tons of cheap souvenir shops around town if you are looking for basic stuff. If you are embracing the fact that you are a tourist and want a family friendly lively vibe, explore Harbor Walk Village at least once during your trip. Check out their website for events while you are there.
Every Thursday night Memorial Day through Labor day they have vintage plane flyovers and fireworks. Check out the Harbor Walk Village calendar of events and this site for tips on where to watch the fireworks.
Shopping
If you are staying further East, everything I have mentioned may seem far away, but there is shopping close to you! Destin Commons is a typical outdoor shopping mall, but with a great splash park for little kids (6 or younger). If you have a rainy day or just like to bargain shop, Silver Sands Premium Outlet has anything you would want. The Village of Baytown Wharf has nice shopping and restaurants with more boutique style shops that (in my opinion) cater to an older crowd except for all the candy stores! For me, there is nothing unique about shopping and I would rather spend my vacation time elsewhere!
Don’t Do List
Surfing
Don’t come to Destin expecting to surf. In all my years coming to Destin I have only seen people surf once and it was during storm surge (not smart). The waves are too small to surf, but they are perfect to boogie board. If you are flying, you can get a cheap one at a souvenir shop to use for the week.
Gulfarium
We took our kids here when they were little, but we were disappointed. If your kids are interested in marine life and have never been to a decent aquarium, then go. If you have been to a bigger marine life park or aquarium (my kids had been to Sea World) this doesn’t really compare.
Glass Bottom Boat
Just don’t do it. If you are going to go on a boat ride (which you should!), go on the pirate ship or the dolphin sunset cruise. If you want to see underwater go snorkeling yourself. The glass bottom boat is hot, crowded and you can’t really see anything out of the glass bottom.
Snorkeling Boat Trip
Don’t waste your money. Scuba dive if you want, or even snuba, but if you want to snorkel go to the jetties yourself (see must do list). Certain times of the day when the waves are at their calmest you can even snorkel at the beach.
Where to Eat
If you have been paying any attention to this post you know Destin is “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” so go eat fish! I am a Kansas girl who loves seafood, especially shrimp and scallops. Any time I get closer to the ocean (which is pretty much any time I leave Kansas) I think all sea food should be better. It took me several trips to Destin to realize that shellfish is not their thing. After multiple meals envying my husband’s plate of food, I finally caught on. I now always order the catch of the day; it is always the best thing on the menu.
Seafood
Destin has no shortage of restaurants; these are just my personal favorites. Our absolute favorite place to eat is Harbor Docks. You can sit outside and watch the boats in the harbor, and if you time it right can even see the fishing boats come in (see fishing section above). They have a great seafood and sushi selection. We also always hit The Back Porch; it is a little further east on Hwy 98 right on the beach. Great seafood, cute gift shop and great views of the sand and waves. The kid’s meals come on a souvenir frisbee, so you get a built-in beach activity with your meal.
As mentioned in the fishing section AJ’s is our favorite open-air restaurant to take our fresh catch when we get off the fishing boats. It is a lively environment in the middle of Harbor Walk Village. For a lower key environment, we also like Dewey Destin’s on the bayside (not their location on the Harbor side) where you can get your basket of catch of the day and eat on a picnic table on the pier. This is one of the few places you can watch an unobstructed view of the sunset in Destin.
Land Food
If you get burned out on seafood, McGuire’s is a fun Irish restaurant with great food and huge shareable portions. This is right across from Emerald Grande/Harbor Walk Village. Parking and wait times can be a challenge. If you are close by, walk or Uber and plan on a wait (or better yet go to their website to be added to the waitlist).
Eating out in Destin is not cheap. Callahan’s is a more casual place away from the water where you can get a variety of food and deli sandwiches (and fish). We also have a tradition of hitting the Donut Hole while we are in Destin; it is vacation after all. My family loves donuts while I go for their key lime pie. They do serve breakfast (as well as lunch and dinner) here too if you want some protein to go along with your sugar.
I wouldn’t typically recommend a chain restaurant, but Mellow Mushroom pizza is our go-to pizza place in Destin if you are looking for quick and easy. We don’t have them in Kansas City, so it doesn’t feel like a chain restaurant to us.
Destin – The Ugly
June Grass
You go to Destin for the beautiful beaches, but the ugly truth is they are not always picture perfect. There is an algae nicknamed June Grass that can be present in the water. It is a normal part of the ecosystem and safe to be around, just a nuisance. It is unpredictable when it will come or go away. Despite the name, June is not the only time it could be present. It can move quickly, so even if it is present for part of your trip there is a good chance it will not stick around the whole time. If it is present, you may be able to go a little further down the beach and get away from it. Chances are June grass will not be present. If it is, just embrace it and deal with the nuisance of a little sea grass on your suit!
Jellyfish
Another nuisance is jellyfish. They are common in Destin, especially as the water temperatures rise throughout the summer. The good news is most of these are harmless. To be prepared, check out this article to help identify which ones to be concerned about. Most of what we see are harmless moon jellies. My boys enjoy catching them in nets and playing with them (I am sure this is not recommended). We see some cannonball jellyfish at the beach (which sting) and have seen pink meanies around the jetties while snorkeling. If you are snorkeling, they are beautiful to watch and don’t belong in the ugly category at all! They move very slowly so you can navigate around them.
If there are harmful jellyfish in the water, there will be purple flags up on the beach to warn you. We have all been stung, but it has been very minor. There are lots of tips and tricks out there on what to do if you get stung, but basically it boils down to get the tentacles out and put vinegar on your skin (might be a good idea to have a spray bottle of vinegar/freshwater mixture with you). If you have kids and are concerned, there is a Sea Safe sunscreen that claims to protect from stings (with mixed reviews), but I have not tried it.
Sample Itinerary
Obviously, I have a lot of opinions about planning a trip to Destin based on multiple trips. One mistake we have made is trying to do too much. We have been disappointed when we spent a bunch of money doing activities every day and didn’t get our fill of beach time. The beach is free! I like to get beach time in early in the trip in case there is rain later in the week. In the heat of the summer, go to the beach in the morning and evening to avoid the heat of the day and the largest crowds. If I were planning an ideal week in Destin in would look something like this:
Day 1 – Travel day. Get settled and go to the beach even if it is just for an evening walk!
Day 2 – Morning beach time, afternoon/evening check out the fishing docks and go out to dinner.
Day 3 – Morning fishing trip, stay in Harbor Walk Village and to have your fish cooked at AJ’s for a late lunch and explore around. Get back for evening time on the beach.
Day 4 – Morning beach time, afternoon snorkel the jetties and out to dinner.
Day 5 – Activity day. Go do an activity that interests you: scuba, jet ski tour, parasailing, rent a pontoon, etc.
Day 6 – Beach day, either all day or half a day with another activity that interests you.
Day 7 – Choose your own adventure. Get in some more beach time or that last activity you want to squeeze in. Stop by the Donut Hole to pick up donuts for a quick breakfast on your travel day.
Day 8 – Travel day home.
I hope this helps you plan your trip to Destin! I still love Destin. The good far outweighs the bad and the ugly!
Nice story Laura, really think you’re a great writer. Almost felt like I was there 😍
Thanks for sharing, Tom G